Published: 07:06 AM, 15 May 2026
UNGA Presidency: Khalilur Rahman pledges to play full-time role if elected
Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman has pledged to serve as a "full-time President" if elected President of the United Nations General Assembly.
He said that, if elected, he would uphold the UN Charter, give special attention to smaller delegations, and strive to find common ground despite differences of opinion.
On Wednesday (May 13), he took part in the campaign for the presidency of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly at the United Nations headquarters in New York. During the event, he presented six proposals in a written statement.
As part of his campaign for the presidency, he said he would advocate for a comprehensive approach by utilizing Bangladesh's experience in global peacekeeping efforts. He also called for addressing financing gaps in developing countries, ensuring sustainable debt management, and providing needs-based assistance.
In his third point, he pledged support for the "Loss and Damage" fund to implement climate commitments and promised to work toward protecting biodiversity and marine ecosystems. Referring to his personal experience with the Rohingya crisis, he emphasized maintaining human rights mechanisms, safeguarding humanitarian space, and supporting refugees and displaced people in his fourth point.
In the next point, he called for prudent and fair governance of digital platforms. Finally, he placed special emphasis on reforming the United Nations.
After his opening remarks, Dr. Khalilur Rahman answered various questions during a question-and-answer session that lasted nearly two hours.
>>AA Correspondent, NY
